Generally, bitches give birth on their own without the need for any human intervention. Therefore, if we ask ourselves how to help our dog to give birth, in a high percentage of cases the answer will be that the best help is to do nothing. But, just in case any complication arises, in this article on our site we will explain the signs that indicate that a dog is in labor, what its normal course is like and what problems should alert us to call the vet.
If you think your bitch needs your intervention and therefore you want to know how to help a bitch give birth if she can't, read on for all the keys
How does a dog go into labor?
If we want to know how to help a bitch to give birth, the first thing is to acquire basic knowledge about childbirth in this species. Dogs have a pregnancies of about 62 days Although it is not an exact science, we can count on labor being triggered around those days. A considerable delay should make us consult with the veterinarian. The follow-up that this professional makes of the pregnancy and proper care are factors that add up when it comes to achieving successful births.
It is very common for bitches to deliver at night. This fact and the subtlety of the signs of its onset mean that many times we find ourselves directly with the puppies already born. If we are interested in how to know if a dog is in labor we must carefully observe the dog, always without overwhelming her. Shortly before giving birth, she stops eating, is restless, can scratch the ground and will look for her nest. These signs will be the same in the birth of a first-time bitch than in that of an experienced one. Although externally we do not notice much else, the dog's body will begin to experience contractions that will become more intense until culminating in births.
How do I know if my dog is having contractions?
During labor, the dog will feel contractions of two types In a first phase, which may go unnoticed, the contractions will dilate the exit of the uterus so that the puppies can reach the outside. Some bitches may display discomfort.
In the second phase the contractions intensify and at that moment it is possible that we detect that the dog breathes with agitation, pants, she licks her vulva, visibly thrusts and even vomits, sure signs that she is having contractions.
How to help a bitch give birth if she can't?
The contractions culminate in the birth of the first puppy, to be followed by her siblings. The time between dog and dog is usually about 15 minutes, but it's not rocket science either exact and there may be a delay of up to two or more hours without implying pathology. In these cases, in which the birth proceeds normally, as we pointed out at the beginning of the article, our intervention will not be necessary, so we can limit ourselves to observing to ensure that the bitch is fine and no complications arise.
My bitch won't stop, what do I do?
If we observe that this time elapses and the bitch does not give birth, it may be because there is some difficulty that prevents a new birth, such as a bad position or a very large puppy. Any of these factors will not allow her birth even if the bitch pushes. In no case is it a problem that we should try to solve ourselves, much less can we leave it unattended. This is an emergencyand if the vet can't relocate the puppy he will have to perform a C-section
Consult the following article to know all the possible complications and know how to act: "Problems in the delivery of the bitch".
My dog is in labor and won't push
Another situation is that the dog is in labor and does not push. This may happen because the uterus is not able to generate effective contractionsor because she is already tired after exerting herself for a long period of time. This situation is also an emergency. The vet can administer drugs to stimulate the work of the uterus, but if this does not work, the delivery will have to be concluded with a caesarean section.
As we can see, how to help a female dog to give birth is to call the vet in situations where the female dog is not capable of doing so on her own.
Other tips to help a female dog give birth
To help a dog to give birth, in addition to observing to come quickly in case any of the above problems occur, the only thing we can do is provide an environment relaxed and avoid any stressful stimulus for the dog.
On the other hand, in general, at birth, the puppies continue inside the placenta and it is the mother who is in charge of breaking it so that they can breathe. To do this, she usually eats it, so we should not be alarmed if we see this happen. Now, if the dog does not break the bag or has difficulty doing so, in these cases we can intervene. In fact, we must do it to prevent the puppy from dying, since if the bag does not break, she will not be able to breathe. So tear the bag with your fingers, remove the puppy, and cut the umbilical cord if the bitch doesn't. If the puppy is born outside the bag, it is usual for the bitch to expel the placenta almost immediately afterwards. If it doesn't, we'll have to see a specialist.
Once the puppy is born, if the dog does not bring it closer so that she can feed, we can bring it closer to one of her mothers to do so, as long as she allows us to. Although bitches rarely do not allow their human family to approach or assist them in childbirth, it can sometimes happen, so it is essential to respect it at all times.
Can you bring a dog into labor?
Births are triggered, under normal conditions, when the puppies are ready to come out and survive outside. There is nothing that can force this maturation Therefore, no home remedy is going to make the dog go into labor and it is not advisable to try it. If we really want to know how to help a dog give birth, what will contribute the most to this will be the creation of a relaxed environment where the hormones that must be activated during labor can work without being inhibited by stress.
A different situation is the one we discussed in the previous section. When the dog is already in labor and the vet administers a drug to reactivate it if it seems that the uterus is not doing her job. It is a veterinary procedure that can only be done by this professional.
How do I know if my bitch has finished giving birth?
Finally, in order to know how to help a dog to give birth, it is important that we know the signs that indicate that labor is over. After the birth of all the puppies we will see that the dog remains calm The little ones will also be relaxed and suckling. Approximately a couple of hours will have elapsed since the last puppy came out and the bitch does not show any labor effort.
A help to confirm that all the puppies have been born is to have carried out the veterinary follow-up during pregnancy. In this way, using diagnostic imaging, we may have a fairly accurate approximation of the number of fetuses that the bitch is carrying. Thus, we will only have to count to check if the puppies born coincide with our estimate.
It is also important that, if we manage to count the number of placentas, these correspond to the puppies born. A placenta that remains inside the uterus can cause problems in the postpartum period. Of course, if the dog continues to make efforts without giving birth to any little ones, showing restlessness or showing any other indication that something is wrong, it is reason for a veterinary consultation.
For more information, don't miss this article: "How long does a dog go into labor?"
